Mug shot of Sabttula courtesy of PNP-BARMM
COTABATO CITY –– Police authorities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao announced the surrender in Maguindanao of a senior member of an Islamic State-linked group, who is a suspect in two bomb attacks in Isulan town, Sultan Kudarat in 2018.
The police said Norton Sabttula, a lieutenant of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters leader Imam Karialan, surrendered to local officials and police authorities in Ampatuan town following backdoor negotiations Wednesday, April 21.
Sabttula has arrest warrants for murder and multiple frustrated murders issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 19 in Isulan.
He had been wanted for two bomb attacks in 2018 in Isulan that killed six and injured more than 50 others, according to Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, BARMM police director.
Ugale credited Ampatual town officials, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and the Maguindanao provincial police for the Sabttula surrender.
Sabttula was not presented to local journalists as he was still undergoing interrogation at the Maguindanao police office in Shariff Aguak town.